


I found you hidden in plain sight

by lover_44



Series: Gasping at glimpses of gentle true spirit [1]
Category: Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats - T. S. Eliot
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:00:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22338913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lover_44/pseuds/lover_44
Summary: When the first cake came, Mistoffelees didn’t think anything about it. Simple chocolate with salty caramel and a note. I found you hidden in plain sight. It’s what the note said.
Relationships: Mr. Mistoffelees/Rum Tum Tugger
Series: Gasping at glimpses of gentle true spirit [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1608040
Comments: 3
Kudos: 74





	I found you hidden in plain sight

**Author's Note:**

> So, this was loosely based on [horselulu](https://horselulu.tumblr.com/) prompt on Tumblr. It's not betaed as I'm out of a beta right now, so I'm so sorry! English is not my first language so please feel free to point it out any mistakes!
> 
> My face claims for Tugger and Misto are Brock O'Hurn and Miles McMillan, and I want to point it out that Brock is literaly 6,7 and Miles is 6,1, so there is a cute height difference there. I made an edit on my [tumblr](https://crawlerofthenight.tumblr.com/) if anyone is interested.
> 
> Title belongs to Vance Joy's Lay it on Me. I actually made a playlist with all of the songs from the notes, Tugger's playlist actually, and you can find it at the end notes.

When the first cake came, Mistoffelees didn’t think anything about it. Simple chocolate with salty caramel and a note. _I found you hidden in plain sight._ It’s what the note said. He never made the connection that the song was one of the one’s Tugger had sang the day before in the little show he had made at the coffee shop. No, Mistoffelees had been too busy trying not to blankly stare at the guy, and trying to remember how to breath after their eyes caught for a brief moment. 

“Who’s he?” It’s what he had asked Victoria, his afternoon shift partner and best friend. Mistoffelees had been totally caught by surprise when the ridiculously tall, long haired, leather jacket wearing blond had just walked in, wearing thick framed glasses and had just...sat down and started to sing.

Open mic night had been his idea to Gus, the shop owner, and he had agreed after some insistence. All types of people came in. They had poetry slams, impromptu dance numbers, musicians with various instruments, actors doing scenes, and several singers. It was at the same time a pleasure to see all the talented people and also a sad reminder that Quaxo Mistoffelees himself would never dance again. Something he had loved all his life. 

“You don’t know him?” Victoria asks, one eyebrow raised. Mistoffelees just shook his head, cheeks growing slight pink as the singer reached the chorus. Voice deep, bright blue eyes finding his again.

Victoria giggles and Mistoffelees is sure she is laughing at him. “You need to go out more, Misto” she starts “That’s Tugger Deuteronomy, his father is the head of Drama Department” she tells him and all he can do is let out a soft _oh_!. After he had to let go of his dancing career, Mistoffelees decided to change his major to drama, and Munk Deutoronomy, one of the student teachers, had been his great support since. His wife Demeter had been one of his favorite teachers when he was a dance major. After his injury last summer, both Demeter and Victoria had been there for him. 

“He’s Munk’s brother?” he frowns, looking all over at the chiseled jaw, the blond beard and long hair, the broad shoulders. There was some resemblance, but not much. 

“Yeah, he doesn’t go to school here, though. He just comes around sometimes” she says with a shrug.

The cakes are always there when he arrives on Thursdays afternoons after his classes in the morning. The notes are always there, too. The second one was an orange cake with cream cheese frosting, and the note read _I wish I was a flame dancing in a candle, lighting up your living room high on the mantle._ It never failed to make Mistoffelees week better, waiting for Thursday. 

The third piece of cake is not a cake, it’s apple pie, his favorite. Mistoffelees loved Jelly’s apple pies, Gus’ wife who made all the sweets the coffee shop sold, but he never managed to snatch himself more than scraps of it in the kitchen, since it was a best seller and it was never anything left when his work break came around. The note read _I don't know no love songs and I can't sing the blues anymore, but I can sing this song and you can sing this song when I'm gone_ . It's practically a forethought, because Tugger is back on open mic and his last song is the one from the note. Mistoffelees won't lie about his quick beating heart, or how his knees shake a little when Tugger smiles and thanks him when Mistoffelees hands him a cup of coffee. Something way too sweet for a man who looks like _that_. Their fingers briefly touch, Mistoffelees blushes and Tugger just smiles. It never crosses his mind that Tugger singing the song from his note is more than a coincidence. 

The forth cake is actually a cinnamon roll, and the note makes his heart stop for a few seconds. _Oh, I could drink a case of you, oh darling, and I would still be on my feet._ The lyrics are very familiar to him, coming from his favorite singer of all time, and on the back of it for the first time, words that don't come from songs. _The black starry scarf you were wearing today was cute, it suits you._

"Tanto, please, you have to tell me who it is" It's what Mistoffelees pleads later that night on the phone. Even though Tanto, who was also a drama major, wasn't the only one in the coffee shop on the morning, she shared a shift with her brother Cori, and Mistoffelees knew he had a better chance with her. The person who buys him cakes and leaves him sweet notes must pass by her. 

"You really don't know who it is, Misto?" She asks and after a long moment of silence from Mistoffelees, she just sights. "I can't, he made me promise, which I think it's silly and romantic at the same time, but he made you a playlist and asked me to send you" she says, and his phone rings with a new notification. It's a Spotify playlist full of beautiful songs. Rock, folk, indie. The username reads _Curious Cat_ , and for a moment Mistoffelees frowns, finding it familiar but letting go just as quick. 

"I need a favor tomorrow" Tanto's voice brings him back to reality, and he is remembered she is still on the line "I have a paper I need to finish and I have to go to the library in the morning. Could you cover for me? I'll come in in the afternoon instead" 

Mistoffelees is so full of confusion and feelings that he just says yes before Tanto thanks him and they hang up. He spends the night listening to the playlist and looking at the notes, stomach full of butterflies. The fact that the next day is Thursday only draws on him when he is already at the coffee shop the next morning, and at the very back of the line is Tugger Deutoronomy. When Tugger sees him, their eyes meet for a long moment, and there is some level of surprise there. Fear, even. Mistoffelees frowns, and Tugger lowers his head, typing away on his phone.

The last thing Tugger expected was to see Mistoffelees there Thursday morning. Tanto had played him and now he felt like running away. 

_"Bomb help me he is here in the morning idk what happened :( "_ Tugger's quick fingers typed as the line moved, and even though he was sure his friend was just going to either ignore him or tell him to just talk to Mistoffelees, he needed the distraction. Tugger didn't expect to have to do things like this, so suddenly. 

The first time Tugger had seen Quaxo Mistoffelees was accidently. He rarely went to the University, aversed as he was to higher education, especially since his father was involved. He was coming down the hall when he heard the soft sound of music coming from a room. Tugger Deuteronomy could say he was prepared for a lot of things in his life, but never to the softly swaying figure all dressed in black, black starry scarf around his neck. Long, soft black curls pulled back and gentle movements to the sound of Joni Mitchell's voice. 

Lucky enough for him, his brother Munk was just coming around the corner "Munk who's that?" He asked it so quickly that he had to give Munk a moment to understand the question. Munk's only reaction was to just narrow his eyes at him.

"No, Tugger" It had been his answer, and Tugger just sighed in exasperation "Munk, please" he pleaded.

"Quaxo Mistoffelees, but don't bother him, I'm serious Tugger" came his brother's warning. His smile was blindly bright as he left, and a couple of days later, on a Thursday, there he was in the Jellicle Coffee Shop taking part in the open mic night. 

_"Just talk to him, dumbass!"_ Bomb's answer came at the same time as his place in line, and up close he could see Mistoffelees eyes were a greenish honey color, his lips were a pale pink and his softly curled dark hair came to around his shoulders. 

For the longest of moments their eyes were locked on one another, the coffee shop forgotten. It was just Mistoffelees and Tugger finally face to face. Just _them_.

A loud cough was heard, Tugger looked down, and Mistoffelees could feel the blood running inside his ears, going straight to his face. There were a lot of things to be noticed in that moment, but all Mistoffelees could see was Tugger's t-shirt. There, in bright leopard printed bold letters was the name he needed.

"Curious Cat" Mistoffelees whispered, recognising it from Tugger's first open mic night. _The username on the playlist,_ his mind supplied. Tugger's head snapped back up, a soft grin on his lips. 

All Tugger did was hand Mistoffelees the note. The final one. For the second time their fingers brushed, it felt even more electric than before. 

"You're not going to get me a cake?" Mistoffelees heard himself asking, the note securely held against his chest. Tugger just laughed and _shit_ , Mistoffelees thought, _I could get used to this laugh._

"Just ask him out already and move on! I've been up all night finishing an essay and I need coffee before I murder someone!" The girl behind Tugger said, tapping violently on his arm, and Mistoffelees blushed even more. 

"Tell you what" Tugger started, leaning a little closer over the counter towards Mistoffelees. For a moment Mistoffelees saw Tugger's hand go up, deciding if he should touch "I will buy you a cake as dessert" 

"Dessert?" Mistoffelees frowned, and Tugger just laughed again.

"Yeah, after lunch comes dessert. We could...have lunch today" Tugger asked.

His hand finally came down too, gently moving a lock of hair behind Mistoffelees ear. _Breath_ , he reminded himself. 

_Breath_.

"Yeah, sure" he answers, and Tugger's smile makes his knees go weak.

"Fucking finally!" The girl says, and Tugger laughs again, and it's so contagious that Mistoffelees laughs too. 

Tugger leaves, the world goes back to it's normal pace, and Tugger's final note makes Mistoffelees laugh alone, resting for a moment against the glass case of baked goods disposed for the costumers. It was a silly little poem about cats from a children's book.

_His manner is vague and aloof_

_You would think there was nobody shyer_

_But his voice has been heard on the roof_

_When he was curled up by the fire._

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I'm not saying the person behind Tugger in line was Rumpleteazer, but it totally was Rumpleteazer lol  
> Also Tugger strikes me as one of those people who texts as he talks, no pontuation, completly crazy.
> 
> This is the order of songs from the notes, and you can find it all on Tuggers playlist on [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6ELWg76fHqQkSvQZMeGQTV?si=kb6o9zI8RwKsPavVH892lQ):
> 
> 1\. Vance Joy - Lay it on me  
> 2\. The Avett Brothers - I wish I was  
> 3\. James Taylor - You can close your eyes  
> 4\. Joni Mitchell - A case of you

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Every freckle, every scar (you're a work of art)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22339093) by [lover_44](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lover_44/pseuds/lover_44)




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